The Relationship between Job Burnout and Gender-Based Socio-Demographic Characteristics in Lahore

Abstract

Job burnout has been extensively researched in the international literature. Burnout is caused by personal and occupational factors. This study analyzes the impact of burnout with respect to different socio-demographic characteristics and job-related factors. Based on a sample randomly selected from various industries in the Lahore region, we use cross-tabulations to analyze the effects of burnout, and calculate the mean frequencies of the variables used. We measure three dimensions of burnout—emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and lack of personal accomplishment—using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey. The study finds that women score significantly on emotional exhaustion while men score higher on cynicism and lack of personal accomplishment, compared to all other socio-demographics. Education and work experience are strongly associated with burnout in women while age and income are significantly related to burnout in men. Women’s higher burnout scores are related to higher levels of education (graduates), less work experience (0–10 years), income (PKR 10,000–25,000), age (24–35 years), being self-employed, and working in the manufacturing industry. Among men, burnout is associated with white-collar (upper and lower) employee positions, work experience of 0–4 years, incomes of PKR 25,000 or more, and working in the services industry. Burnout is more significant among men than women with regard to marital status. Among job stressors, men and women are not significantly different with respect to role ambiguity, role conflict, organizational politics, autonomy, and work overload. Most of our results confirm the findings of other studies on job burnout, with the exception that the male respondents in this study experienced high burnout at an early age (24–29-year-old category), which could be due to ‘reality shocks’ or ‘early career burnout’.